Rising Waters

The water has risen, and there is much more at stake. You lose your job - you lose your house and become a lowlander, living in the less habitable places nearer the water, with friends forbidden to talk to you. Can two sisters bypass these rules and rebel against the government's regime? Read
to find out!

7. "Just kiss already!"

“Thank God it was only three days,” I say to Avanna, whilst we trundle down the hill. “Yeah,” Infinity agrees, “bet he would have been livid if it was any longer than that, he obviously wants this done fast.” “Yeah, he got a bit snarky on the phone as it was,” I laugh, half serious, half jokingly. I had called him on the number that he had called me on a few days ago and he answered almost immediately. Let’s just say that he wasn’t very happy with us. “You’re lucky you didn’t have to make the call,” I say, in my best responsible older sister voice. “Yeah, I am, and I’m also lucky that it’s your job to make sure you don’t get me wet in the rain again, if this happens again, you're going to get the blame, sometimes there’s good things about having a only very slightly older twin!” Avanna says. “Will you two just quit it already?” asks Infinity, tutting at us. She’s always been techy about the fact that I’m twelve minutes older than her, and likes to remind me that she’s just as old as me, you would have thought that she would have got over it, having been younger that me for sixteen years. We reach the bottom of the hill and once again, the teenagers are there waiting for us, and this time, Odin is there. Infinity and I share a glance and each tighten our hold around Avanna’s arms. Instead of shouting insults at us again, he lowers his head and drops his gaze, not meeting our eyes. He must regret it, calling us those horrible names, usually I can see people’s thoughts through their actions. Avanna breaks out of our hold, but before Infinity and I can lunge forward to stop her from slapping Odin; her usual form of anger dissipation, she reaches out and hugs him, very tightly. Everyone is silent while they embrace. Then someone murmurs from the crowd of teenagers “Just kiss already!” and there are a few titters. At that, Avanna pulls away from the hug and I am able to see that both her and Odin have flushed cheeks. That must have been the comment, I think. She walks back over to us and Jerry starts to update us on the progress of the plan. “We’ve had six scientists visit us so far, so we’ve made progress. They all agree with us and are passing the word on to their friends with a similar opinion on the government’s decision. Anyway, we wanted you to know that we’re getting somewhere, and if we need your help again, I’ll call you,” Then he adds, “You’re free to go.”